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Oxford sewer system not able to cope with planned developments

Thames Water has confirmed that the sewer network in and around Oxford may not be able to cope with the planned house building schemes due to be built in the local area.

The London waste water company confirmed that they had analysed the current system and said it may not be up to the job of handling the hundreds of new homes that Oxford City Council have planned.

Recent flooding has already caused concerns among residents who say that the current drainage system is not even up to the standards required to service their existing homes. However, if the 1,200 new homes on the Barton West development go ahead they fear a sewage meltdown.

Thames Water confirmed:

“The capacity of water infrastructure may not be able to cope with new development and further investigations may need to be funded by the applicant.”

Thames Water has supplied Oxford Council with a list of sites which are currently under discussion for development, which it fears that may be

“unlikely to be able to support the demand anticipated from development”.

Natalie Slater from Thames Water said:

“Having reviewed the sites proposed in Oxford City’s Sites and Housing Plan, additional infrastructure may be necessary. Where necessary, we require developers to fund studies to determine the impact of the development on existing infrastructure, and if this work identifies additional capacity is required, the developer may again be required to fund this.”

Oxford City Council board member for development Colin Cook responded:

“Thames Water is covering its back. I don’t think it will have that big effect when it comes down to it.”